Bruises
by spontaneoushazel
Summary: Blue's hand was covered in blood. Some of it was his, but most of it belonged to the guy on the ground, who probably had a broken jaw.


Blue's hand was covered in blood. Some of it was his and some of it belonged to the guy –Leaf called him August- who was on the ground below him clutching his probably broken jaw. All eyes were locked intently on him. Their faces were shocked and their eyes were scornful.

_Great_, he thought, _Now I'm the prick who ruined the wedding._

He felt someone grab his arm tightly, and he winced. Not because it hurt, because he was afraid of who he would find at the end of the arm.

_Don't be Leaf. Don't be Leaf. Please Mew, please don't be Leaf._

Daisy stood there, an angry scowl clashing with her beautiful white dress. He suddenly felt ashamed. Here he was worrying about what Leaf would say, and how she'd react. He had no regard for how he had affected Daisy. This was his sister's wedding day and he had just punched some guy about eleven times. Now, instead of dancing the night away and celebrating her time as a newlywed with the guy of her dreams, she was dragging her twenty-one year old brother out of the ballroom.

Once they were alone in the hallway and she released him from her grip, he dig his head into his hands and leaned back on the wall and groaned. "Daisy, I'm so sorry. I got angry and just didn't care what I was doing. Forgive me."

The next seconds were filled with silence, and then laughter.

He looked up shocked.

She was standing there, her hands on her hips, eyebrows raised. "Why are you _apologizing_? If you hadn't done it then I sure as hell would have! What would those people at there be saying right now If _I_ had punched him?! You did me a huge favor, little brother!" she said, her tiny hands clenched into fists. Relief washed over him. "I mean what fucking asshole! Arceus, why is Leaf with such a jerk? More importantly, why does she let him treat her like that! He talks to her like she's garbage! And did you see those bruises? I bet you there are more, and that's why she didn't where the dressed we originally picked out together!"

He nodded, becoming as enraged as he had been when he punched the guy. "There has to be a reason. Leaf may not be the most outspoken person on the planet, but she would never stand for such tauros crap."

Daisy's face was murderous. "I'm going to have Kellen tell him to leave. Neither of us can do it because we just might kill the bastard."

Blue scoffed. "All the more reason for us to be the ones to do it."

She smirked. "I can't have us get arrested on a day like this. Sorry, Blue. Now, when we walk back in just act normal. Act as if nothing happened. Everything will die down eventually if we just ask him to leave and just go on with the day."

He said nothing, but followed her out.

Not everything would die down. Leaf would still be there. Even if Kellen got that August guy to leave, Leaf would stay. She was the maid of honor after all.

When his eyes locked with August, he seethed. The events prior to Blue's outburst were still fresh in his head.

* * *

_Blue twirled the dark purple-red liquid around in his champagne glass, irritated by one of his drunk cousins making unfathomable conversation. She was in the middle of dragging on and on about her traumatic time getting her dress fitted, while simultaneously complaining about the sitter she had hired to watch her two kids. He wasn't paying much attention, seeing as all he could focus on was the tan arm hung around his friend, Leaf's, waist. _

_The moment she walked in with the guy, Blue could not help but decipher every little thing about August that made him want to drown himself in the punch bowl. He had this accent –from Sinnoh, probably- that Blue found completely obnoxious. And his hair was inappropriately messy. This was a wedding for Lugia's sake. Even Blue had his hair slicked back nicely. Plus, all he did was frown. He didn't plan on hiding just how much he did not want to be there. Not to mention that he had his eyes on other girls most of the time, not seeming to care that Leaf was still there, obviously noticing. Blue wanted nothing more to get this guy out of his line of sight, but for some reason he could not tear his eyes away. _

_Blue watched as Daisy walked up to them with the groom, Kellen, and grinned. Leaf rushed over to hug and congratulate her, then proceeded to introduce Daisy to August, who just shrugged nonchalantly. Leaf grew red, completely embarrassed by her date's ill manners and looked down at the floor. _What the hell was this guy's problem?

_Kellen, sensing the awkward mood, shook Leaf's hand and said something that was probably polite regarding how she was doing, and how she was enjoying Kalos, a faraway region she had been visiting weeks prior. She said something back, and then another group of guests joined in to talk to the bride and groom._

_Apparently, someone said something funny because Leaf let out a small laugh and smiled. This must have irritated August the Mega-Douche because he tensed and gave Leaf this annoyed look, driving away her smile instantly. Blue set down his champagne glass down on the counter abruptly and got a puzzled look from his blabbering cousin. _

_Blue had has his fair share of douche-bag moments, sure, especially when it came to Leaf. But that all ended when he turned fourteen, when he realized that Leaf was not just his rival, but his friend. Sure, he still let out the occasional arrogant statement, but he was never such a dick. Certainly this guy, who was obviously older than him, could manage to behave himself._

"_Who's she?"_

_The drunken slur of his cousin caught him off guard. He hadn't even noticed she stopped talking until that point. _

_He grunted, trying to cover his blushing face with his sleeve. "What do you mean? Who?"_

_His cousin, Wren, seemed to find his answer humorous. "That girl, you know, the one you've been staring at this whole time. The one with the hot guy draped all over her. She your ex or something? I can almost feel your jealousy in my head."_

"_Are you sure that's not all the alcohol?" _

_She laughed. "Both," she replied, tilting what was probably her fourteenth glass of champagne and consuming it in one gulp. "Now, get with the talking. I wanna hear my baby cousin rant on and on about his love life. Puh-lease, Blue. You've got me all intrigued."_

_Blue rolled his eyes. "There's no reason to be intrigued. She's a friend of the family. That's it really. Nothing special. I just find her dress distracting."_

_Now that he thought about it, wasn't her dress supposed to be red? He shrugged. Whatever._

_Wren bit her lip. "Ah, I see. Childhood friends. How cliché. I bet you guys made some lame ass promise to get married when you were little, right?"_

_Blue watched as Leaf suddenly tensed, Augusts hand clutching to her arm, causing her to wince. The scene made Blue's fingernails dig into his skin. _

"_I wouldn't call us childhood friends. She was always around, and Gramps always doted over her. I actually kind of resented her. She was the one who stole the title of champion from me. I'm sure you've heard of her. She's actually pretty well known. Not that she notices. It used to piss me off that she seemed so taken aback by everyone's admiration, but now I find it kind of refreshing. I know too many people who let fame get to their head."_

"_Like you?"_

_He smirked. "Yeah, like me."_

"_So, childhood rivals, but now you're inlove with her."_

"_You are a really imposing person."_

"_Yeah, yeah. Get with the talking of feelings!"_

_Blue sighed. "I feel different about her than most people. That's all I feel like saying to you. Now go back to drowning yourself with expensive champagne and complaining about your sitter that 'smells like a serial killer'."_

_Wren nudged him with her elbow and ordered another glass. "Nice talking to you, Blue. I sincerely hope you get the girl."_

_Blue ordered another glass as well. _Me too, _he thought. _Me too.

_As he took a small sip of his drink, he heard a clash and the sound of someone falling to the floor. When he looked to see what the commotion was about, he saw Leaf on the ground accompanied by one of the servers who was walking around serving gourmet finger food, since apparently that's a thing. Leaf had about a dozen pigs in a blanket surrounding her, and August was giving her such a disgusted look that Blue felt bile growing in his throat._

_Blue was by her side almost immediately, even before August. She smiled at him, warmly, and took hold of his outstretched hand. Now that he was closer to her, he noticed a small bruise forming where August had been holding her earlier, and he swore that he had never hated someone so much in his entire life._

_Leaf noticed Blue noticing the purple mark forming, and averted her gaze._

"_Thanks, Blue."_

_He managed to smile at her. "It's nothing."_

_Their eyes locked for a few seconds, before, of course, August interrupted._

"_You shouldn't have helped her. She's never going to stop being such a klutz if you do." He spat, looking over at the server who had been on the ground moments earlier, and apologized. "Sorry about her. She doesn't seem to care about how her daydreaming affects other people." Then he laughed and glanced over at Leaf with squinted eyes as if she embarrassed him. He was two hundred percent worse than Blue imagined. _

_Blue smiled, but there was only hate brewing underneath his expression. "So Leaf, introduce me to your friend here. He seems delightful." He said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. August didn't seem to notice. _

_Uncomfortably, Leaf pointed from Blue to August. "Blue, this is August, my boyfriend." The word 'boyfriend' made Blue want to jump off a ledge. What compelled Leaf to be with this kind of person? "And August, this is Blue."_

_August mumbled something under his breath, not audible by Blue, but Leaf flinched. Whatever he had said, she had heard. And as if he enjoyed making her feel small, August just smiled at her. Blue was beginning to feel like a pot of boiling water._

_Leaf managed to start a conversation, but August just cut her off. "I think we should go."_

_Leaf's eyes doubled in size, and she turned her attention to her so called boyfriend. "What? Why?" then she paused and unclasped her hand from his. "No. I'm staying. You can go wait outside in the car or go home even. I'm sure I can get a ride when this is over."_

_Home. She had said home. Did that mean they were living together?_

_August squinted at her, and reached for her hand. She didn't let him take it. This made Blue feel happier than it should have. Proud, even. _

"_If I'm going home, than you're coming with me. And I say we're going home."_

_Blue noticed that Leaf was shaking. "Well, I don't have to listen to everything you say."_

_Something wicked spread across August's face as he spoke. "Not this conversation again. Do you really want to embarrass me in front of all these people? You know what happens when you do that, and you and I both know how much I hate having to do such things…"_

_Blue saw August's eyes flicker towards her exposed collarbone, where there was a faint bruise barely visible to anyone unless they were looking for it. _

_The next thing Blue knew, He and August were on the floor of the ballroom, and Blue's fist was colliding with August's jaw over and over and over… There were frightened screams in the background and he heard the sound of Leaf's voice yelling at him to stop. He ignored everything, only focusing on the guy underneath him. There was another voice too, chaotic and terrifying. It was his. _

"_Who the hell do you think you are?! Do you think it's cool to treat women that way?! How dare you touch her! I swear if you ever hurt her I will fucking kill you! You hear that?! I. WILL. KILL. YOU."_

_His hand was mid-punch when he felt himself being pulled back by someone. That someone was Kellen, and when Blue looked down at August's face, which looked absolutely deranged, he did not feel an ounce of regret._

* * *

After Blue and Daisy emerged from the hall and all the staring and hushed whispered died down, it really was almost as if everything was back to normal. He didn't see August anywhere. But he did not see Leaf anywhere either. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe she did leave.

"Blue…"

Or not.

He turned and saw Leaf standing there, hands entwined together in front of her. Her hair was down and her eyes were looking right into his.

"Leaf."

"Can I speak with you? Outside?" she asked, signaling to an exit that lead to the courtyard where the actual ceremony was held.

Blue nodded, and followed her outside. Once they were there, she found a small bench and let out a tired sigh. Then she started crying quietly, so quietly in fact, she probably hoped he wouldn't notice. But he did.

"I don't think I'm going to keep seeing August."

Blue faced away from her, and started counting the flower petals on the ground where his sister and Kellen had stood, vowing to love each other for the rest of their lives. A huge part of him wanted to ask why she was with him in the first place, but he held back.

"Good. He was kind of a prick. Especially to you."

She laughed, but there was something hollow about it.

"He wasn't always so horrible. At first he was always so nice to me. But then... Well, I guess it was all an act."

Blue didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything.

"Is it bad that I enjoyed watching you beat the crap out of him?"

Blue smiled, and put his arm around her, pulling her in for a friendly hug. "Not as bad as me enjoying getting to actually do the beating."

They laughed, but he could feel her crying in his arms.

"I don't have anywhere to stay tonight."

"You know that isn't true."

She looked into his eyes and smiled. "Thanks, Blue."

A breeze raced around them, cold air clawing at their faces. Blue stood, and turned to Leaf with an outstretched and and friendly grin.

"Now let's go and enjoy the rest of the wedding! After all, I don't think you've had a chance to dance yet. If you would allow, I could be your replacement date. What do you say? Care to join the best looking guy of all the people here for the night?"

Leaf rolled her eyes playfully. "I'd love to."

* * *

Leaf stepped out of the unfamiliar shower in the unfamiliar apartment. Last time she had visited Blue, he had been staying in a loft with one of his trainees of Viridian City Gym while preparing to move out of his house in Pallet Town so his sister and Kellen could start a family in the house. After all, Oak had been studying in different regions most of the time, and was never home, so he had no problem with it.

She found one of Blue's shirts hanging from the towel rack, and swiftly pulled it over her cold, exposed body. She shivered, pulling her wet hair off her neck. The shirt went down to her fingertips, and she simply wore the same pair of underwear she was wearing at the wedding. It may have been a little gross, but it was better than nothing.

She opened the bathroom door and was hit with a wall of cold air. The bathroom connected with the apartments bedroom, where Blue laid sprawled out trying to find something to watch on the TV. "You want to sleep in here tonight? I have no problem sleeping on the futon."

Leaf nodded. Even if she did feel fine taking the futon, it's not like Blue would let her.

Blue turned his attention back to the remote and groaned. "There is absolutely nothing interesting on."

Leaf climbed on the bed, laying down on her back and laughing silently. "It _is_ 3:00am."

He grunted, starting from the beginning again. When he made it to the end of the channels again, with no luck once again, he tossed the remote to the side and leaned back against the bed.

Blue looked at Leaf, and could do nothing but frown. Obviously she had been hiding more than he thought. Now that she had showered, whatever makeup she had used on her face had washed off, and he couldn't help but notice how purple her cheek was. Not to mention he could see her legs now, which were all scratched up, covered in scabs and scars. What kind of horrible crap did this guy do to her.

"Stop staring at me." she whispered, turning away. There was something in her voice. She was ashamed. Never in his life had he witnessed her in such a state.

"Not a chance. You have more bruises than you do gym badges."

Leaf flinched. This was the first time he had actually brought it up.

He didn't stop. "I'm actually quite surprised. How does the girl who defeated Team Rocket with close to no help let herself be pushed around by some pathetic loser like that? I know you aren't that stupid."

She said nothing.

"Leaf-"

He reached over and put his hand on her shoulder. As a result, she winced sharply. Pulling away from his hand. There was obviously more damage then he thought. He felt his entire face go dark. He hoped this August guy got hit by a car. "Guy's like him don't deserve girls like you. They don't deserve anyone."

He said nothing after that, feeling lame and helpless. If Daisy was here she would find a way to cheer Leaf up, all he could do was sit there and feel angry at himself, and August, and Leaf too. She should have left long ago. She should have come to him. Whatever she was going through with the guy had obviously been going on for months. _  
_

"How could you be such an idiot, Leaf? You could have at least told someone." _You could have told me._

She still said nothing. It was pissing him off. Even now, she couldn't talk to him about it. "Leaf please talk to me. Leaf, _please_-"

"Aren't you acting all out of character." she said suddenly, almost sounding...bitter? Blue was caught off guard, and she obviously noticed. Her shoulders slumped, and then she started crying.

"I'm sorry. That was uncalled for... You've always been nice to me-"

"Not always." He couldn't help but interject. He had been quite the pretentious jerk when they were kids.

Her shoulders moved like she was laughing, but there was no sound or smile. "Even then... "

Before he had time to stop himself he had gently pulled her into a hug, making sure not to be forceful. This was the second time he had ever held her. The first time was three years ago, when her mother died. Leaf didn't leave her mothers room for a week, not until Blue showed up.

"Hey Leaf. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. Just promise me that you'll do a better job picking boyfriends in the future, okay?" he said, fighting the urge to take her hand.

She leaned into him and rested her head on his chest. "Okay."

Blue didn't say anything at first. He was busy taking a moment to look at her. She was so beautiful, and he couldn't deny how much it turned him on looking at her wearing nothing but one of his t-shirts. Even with all the bruises, she was the most breath taking creature he'd ever see.

Then he realized something. When had he decided that he was going to keep his feelings a secret? He was Blue freakin' Oak. He did what he wanted, and didn't stop until he got what he wanted. Leaf may have always beat him too it all the other times, but now _she_ was what he wanted the most.

"Actually, forget what I just said. You don't need to look for a boyfriend."

"And why do you say that?"

"Because," he said, pulling her even closer, "I plan on making you fall in love with _me_."

* * *

**ahhh the plot was all over the place and I didn't even know what to do about the ending but I spent so long working on it so I'm uploading it whatever**

**r&r**


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